A Tiny Kitten Discovers Her Claws for the First Time

Is there anything more ferociously cute than a kitten? These little balls of adorableness are curious to the bone and love testing boundaries and discovering the world. When one kitty discovers her paws (and the sharp claws inside) for the first time, it is the cutest thing we’ve ever seen.

TikTokker (@catbosssss) shared a video of a tiny orange kitten lying in a comfy pile of blankets. The kitten looks up with its huge blue eyes and flexes its claws. “I am kitty. Hear me rawr!” is what we can imagine this kitten saying.

As it plays with its retractable claws, the kitten accidentally gets stuck to a blanket. The confused kitten seems to realize that something is different — these newfound claws are sharp and powerful! Playing with this new sensation, the kitten proceeds to scratch the blanket more and lick its paws. We get a tiny glimpse into the future, when these claws will actually intimidate small prey. But right now, they’re just so darn cute! The kitty wiggles around the blankets, occasionally getting stuck, and looks absolutely adorable.

A Kitten’s Early Days

Kittens grow at lightning speed and go through major changes each week. In their first two weeks of life, they learn to open their eyes, begin to orient toward sound, and start to establish social rank and territory, according to Paws.org.

Weeks 2-7 are all about socialization. Typically, kittens can find their mother by week three, have fully developed senses of smell and hearing by week four, and by week five, they can run, play, stalk, pounce, and have fully mature sight. In the sixth and seventh weeks, kittens will develop adult sleeping patterns, motor abilities, and social interaction, and will begin to groom themselves.

Kittens are most active during weeks 7–14, which is likely the age of the kitten in the video above. During this time, they will learn to lick, scoop, toss, paw, hold, pounce, leap, dance, and more — all of which help increase their physical coordination and social skills. They are discovering the world and are ready to explore, one sharp claw at a time.

Are Kittens Born with Claws?

Yes, kittens are born with claws. Typically, they will have five claws on each front paw and four on each hind paw. The extra claw on the front is called a dewclaw, which is located on the inside and is shorter, helping cats climb and grip.

A cat’s claws are so sharp because they naturally retract into their paws (unlike a dog’s, which remain extended all the time). This keeps them sharp for hunting, climbing, and other survival skills. According to the Humane World for Animals, trimming your cat’s claws every 2-3 weeks is healthy for your pet.

Keep in mind that cats should not be declawed except in extreme circumstances.

The ASPCA is strongly opposed to declawing cats and states the procedure should only be considered in extreme circumstances after all behavioral and environmental alternatives have been proven ineffective, and the cat is at grave risk of euthanasia.

“Cats’ claws are a vital part of their arsenal for both offense and defense. They use them to capture prey and to settle disputes with or escape from other animals or people who are hurting or threatening them,” the ASPCA has stated. Additionally, cats use their claws to mark their territory, exercise muscles, relieve stress, remove worn sheaths from their nails, and more. Claws are essential to a cat’s happiness and well-being.

What Can Kittens Scratch?

If you don’t want your kitten scratching up all your blankets like the adorable orange kitty in the video, then you might want to invest in some scratching posts. After all, scratching is a natural part of a cat’s predator instinct. It’s an instinct that should be encouraged in a way that enriches cats and doesn’t harm their humans’ furniture.

Cat trees made of sisal rope, carpet, corrugated cardboard, or natural wood provide satisfying surfaces for cats to scratch. You can also encourage them to use a scratching post by adding some tempting catnip on top. Even though it’s adorable when a kitten discovers her claws, finding scratches on your couch, dining room chairs, throw blankets, flooring, or anywhere else in your house is not cute at all.